Respect the opposition

"Karuta Queen was leading the best in Sydney by four lengths and she comes down here and Black Caviar's sitting on her tail going half pace," he said.

The light-hearted sniping aside, Moody expressed absolute delight at Black Caviar's health and condition after Monday's gallop which was run in the Sydney direction, starting at the winning post and finishing at the 800m pole.

"I'm just amazed that this stage of her career, as a six-year-old, she's as sound as she's been for three or four years," Moody said.

I'm not suggesting she's going better, but she's going as good as she ever has. It's quite remarkable.

Peter Moody

"I'm not suggesting she's going better, but she's going as good as she ever has. It's quite remarkable."

Moody said Black Caviar had been troubled by various injuries and niggles since she was a three-year-old, but that since having a long spell after returning from England last year she had been almost totally rejuvenated.

"She's the complete package now, stupid as it sounds," he said.

"She could work like that when she was a three-year-old, but it was rushed, not like today."

With the passing of his exuberance, Moody revealed Black Caviar had dashed over the final 400m of her 800m gallop in under 22 seconds, an effort that left him "ecstatic".